Capo tasto



May 25, 1965 J. DUNLOP 3,185,012

CAPO TASTO Filed Nov. 3. 1964 INVENTOR. JAMES DUNLOP United StatesPatent O 3,185,012 CAP@ TASTO James Duniop, 926 37th St., Richmond,Calif. Filed Nov. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 408,597 6 Claims. (Cl. 841-318) Thepresent invention relates to the clamp-like devices known as capos orcapo tastos which are applied to the necks of stringed instruments,especially guita-rs, mandolins land banjos, to shorten the effectivelength of the strings. This makes it easier for players of limitedexperience to play higher keys since the same fingering may be used inthe higher keys established by the capo as in the basic key. Moreover,it changes the timbre of a performance and thus lthe use of .a capoprovides a pleasing variety of .different timbres.

It is an object yof my invention to provide a capo that is of a simpleand inexpensive and yet of durable construction.

Another object `of the invention is to provide an adjustable capo thatmay readily and properly be applied to instruments having necks ofdiiferent width and different numbers of strings, :and once applied willremain dependably in i-ts proper position.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the typereferred to that permits selective adjustrnent of the pressure appliedto the `strings of the instruments.

These and lother objects of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description of the accompanying drawing which illustrates apreferred embodiment thereof, andy wherein FIGURE 1 is a perspective ofthe capo of my invention before it has been applied to an instrument;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective of the neck of a guitar to whichthe capo of my invention has been applied; and

FIGURES 3 and 4 are longitudinal sections of the capo shown in FIGURES 1and 2 illustrating consecutive phases in the manner in which it isapplied to the neck 4of the guitar.

The capo tasto of my invention comprises a channel 10 of roughlyU-shaped cross-sectional contour, which may be made from wood or metalbut is preferably molded from a suitable plastic. The side ilanges 12aand 12b of the channel are preferably arranged to diverge slightly andhave bevelled end edges 14, as best shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. At one ofits ends, the bottom or floor 16 of the channel 10 is forked as shown at18 in FIGURE l, and held in the prongs 20a and 2Gb of the fork is a pin22 around which is engaged the looped end 24 of a band or cord 26 of anon-elastic, stretch-resisting material, such as a band or cord wovenfrom nylon. Provided in the longitudinal edges of the channel flanges12a and 12b are sets of transversely aligned notches or recesses 28a and28h which are arranged to slant in a direction away from the forked end18 of the channel oor 16 and which have rounded bottom edges 30. Firmlysecured to the outer surface of the iioor or bottom 16 of the channel10, such as by means of a suitable glue, p

is a thin elongated pad 32 of a resiliently yieldable material, such asnatural or synthetic rubber.

A loop 34 formed by the opposite end of the band or cord 26 is engagedover a pin 36 that is held in and between the prongs 38a and 38h of afork 40 which is formed by one end of a one-armed lever 42. Said levermay likewise be made of wood, metal or plastic material. The prongs 38aand 38h are relatively long, and the pin 36 is held in said prongs nearthe bottom of the cleft formed by said prongs. The pivot of lever 42 isformed by small circular disk-shaped beads 44a and 44b that are icesecured to the tips of the prongs 38a and 38h on the outer surfacesthereof and which are of a diametrical size to lit smoothly into thenotches 28a and 28b in the longitudinal edges of the channel flanges 12aand 12b, respectively.

In practice the channel i@ is placed upon and transversely across theneck 46 of the stringed instrument with its pad 32 in contact with thestrings 48 (FIGURE 2). The player then gets hold of the lever 42 andconducts the cord 26 from the forked end of channel 10 underneath andaround the neck 46 of the instrument and engages the disk-shaped beads44a and 44b on the outside of the lever prongs 38a and 38b from theopposite end of the channel into that set of notches in the flanges ofsaid channel that can conveniently be reached without pulling the cordor band with any force (FIGURE 3). He then swings the lever 42 upon thepivot formed by the beads 44a and 44h in the engaged notches 28a and 28bin counter clockwise direction toward the forked end 18 of the channeldoor 16 from the position shown in FIGURE 3 wherein the pin 36 of thelever 44 and the looped end 34 of cord 26 lie on the right side of thepivot established by the beads 44a, 4417 into the position illustratedin FIGURE 4 wherein the pin 36 and the loop 34 lie on the left side ofsaid pivot. In this manner the cord 26 is securely tightened around theneck 48 of the instrument without any great eifort on the players part,and due to the slanted disposition of notches 28a and 28h the pivotdisks 44a and 44b move to the bottom of said notches during thedescribed operation. From there they cannot disengage themselvesaccidentally once the lever 42 is in the position illustrated in FIGURE4. Thus the capo tasto is held securely in its desired position upon theneck 48 of the instrument in the manner of a toggle-joint. On the otherhand, whenever the player wishes to move the capo tasto to a newposition, it is merely necessary to lift the free end of the lever 42with gentle `force and return the lever to the position shown in FIGURE3. In this position the capo tasto may easily be slid along the neck ofthe instrument to any desired location without the danger of marring theinstrument.

The great advantage of the capo tasto of my invention is that in spiteof its simple and inexpensive construction it may conveniently andeffectively be applied to, and will reliably remain in position on,stringed instruments of widely different neck sizes and with greatlydiiferent numbers of strings depending upon the length of the channel 10and the number of notches 28 provided in its flanges, without need foran elastic band and without need for any adjustment or manipulationother than engagement of the pivot disks 44a and 44b on the prongs 38aand 3812 of lever 42 with the notches 28a and 28b that can convenientlybe reached; and due to the presence of the pad 32 of resilientlyyieldable material upon the bottom of the channel 10, the pressureexerted by the channel upon strings of diiferent thicknesses is properlyevened out. Moreover, due to the availability of many closely spacedconsecutive sets of notches 28a, 28h in the iianges of the channel 10,the player may selectively adjust the amount of pressure exerted by thecapo upon the strings by choosing between longitudinally adjacent setsof notches. Furthermore, due to the absence of stretchable and/ orelastic materials in its construction, the capo of my invention cannotonly be depended upon to remain in position for extended period of usewithout need for retightening the cord 26 but has a 4practicallyunlimited life time since a non-elastic stretch-resisting cord lastsmuch longer than elastic cords.

While I have explained my invention with the aid of a particularembodiment thereof, it will be understood that the invention is notlimited to the specific constructional aisaoia details illustrated anddescribed by way of example and may be departed from without departingfrom the scope and spirit of the invention.

l claim:

1. A capo tasto for stringed instruments comprising a channel includinga floor portion having an outer surface and secured thereto a pad ofelastic material and a pair of transversely spaced side iianges havinglongitudinal edges and provided therein a plurality of transverselyaligned pairs of notches; a lever having beads of a size to fit intosaid notches secured to the outer sides at one end thereof; and a bandconnecting one end of said channel to said lever at a point 4inwardlyremoved from the bead supporting end thereof.

2. A capo tasto for stringed instruments comprising a channel includinga iioor portion having an outer surface and secured thereto a pad ofelastic material and a pair of transversely spaced side flanges havinglongitudinal edges and provided therein a plurality of transverselyaligned pairs of notches having arcuate bottoms; a lever of a transversewidth to tit into said channel having circular beads of a size to titinto said notches secured to the outer sides at one end thereof, and aband connecting one end of said channel to said lever at a pointinwardly removed frorn the bead supporting end thereof.

3. A capo tasto for stringed instruments comprising a channel includinga floor portion having an outer surface and a pad of resilientlyyieldable material secured to said surface and a pair of transverselyspaced side flanges having longitudinal edges and provided in said edgesa plurality of transversely aligned pairs of notches slanting in adirection toward one of the ends of said channel; a tensioning leverhaving beads of a size to fit smoothly into said notches secured to theouter surfaces of said lever at one end thereof; and a band connectingthe other end of said channel and said lever at a point inwardly removedfrom said bead supporting end thereof.

4. A capo tasto for stringed instruments comprising a channel includinga floor portion having an outer surface and a pad of resilientlyyieldable material secured to said surface and a pair of transverselyspaced side flanges having longitudinal edges and provided in said edgesa plurality of transversely aligned pairs of notches slanting in adirection toward one of the ends of said channel; a tensioning lever ofa transverse Width to fit into said channel having a forked end and axlesupported in the forks formed by said end near the bottom of the recessformed by said forks, and circular beads of a size to fit smoothly intosaid notches secured to the outer surfaces of said forks near the tipsthereof; and a non-elastic stretch-resisting band connected to the otherend of said channel and having a loop engaged over said axle in saidforked lever end.

5. A capo tasto for stringed instruments comprising a channel includinga floor portion having a forked end and an axle held in the forksthereof, a pair of transversely spaced side iianges and provided in thelongitudinal edges of said flanges a plurality of transversely alignedpairs of notches slanting in a direction away from the forked end ofsaid floor portion, said floor portion having an outer surface andsecured thereto a pad of a resiliently yieldable material; a tensioninglever of a transverse width to fit smoothly into said channel having aforked end and an axle supported in the forks formed by the forked endof said lever near the bottom of the recess formed by said forks, andbeads of a size to tit into said notches secured to the outer surfacesof said lever forks near the tips thereof; and a band for connectingsaid lever to said channel having loops at its opposite ends engagedover said axle in said channel floor and said axle in said forked leverend.

6. A capo tasto for stringed instruments comprising a channel ofU-shaped cross-sectional contour including a floor portion having aforked end and an axle held in the forks thereof, a pair of transverselyspaced side flanges having beveled end edges, and provided in thelongitudinal edges of said flanges a plurality of transversely alignednotches slanting in a direction away from the forked end of said floorportion, said tioor portion having an outer surface and secured theretoa thin pad of a resiliently yieldable material; a tensioning lever of atransverse width to tit smoothly -into said channel having a forked endand an axle supported in the forks of said lever near the bottom of therecess formed by said forks, and circular beads of a size to t smoothlyinto said notches secured to the outer surfaces of said lever forks nearthe tips thereof; and a non-elastic stretch-resisting band forconnecting said lever to said channel having loops at its opposite endsengaged over said axle in said channel iioor and said axle in saidforked lever end.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 402,577 5 89Filstrup 84-318 489,525 1/93 Dahlman 84-318 656,904 8/0() Pletcher84-318 FOREIGN PATENTS 277,458 9/27 Great Britain.

LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner.

1. A CAPO TASTO FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENT COMPRISING A CHANNEL INCLUDING AFLOOR PORTION HAVING AN OUTER SURFACE AND SECURED THERETO A PAD OFELASTIC MATERIAL AND A PAIR OF TRANSVERSELY SPACED SIDE FLANGES HAVINGLONGITUDINAL EDGES AND PROVIDED THEREIN IN PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSELYALIGNED PAIRS OF NOTCHES; A LEVER HAVING BEADS OF A SIZE TO FIT INTOSAID NOTCHES SECURED TO THE OUTER SIDES AT ONE END THEREOF; AND A BANDCONNECTING ONE END OF SAID CHANNEL TO SAID LEVER AT A POINT INWARDLYREMOVED FROM THE BEAD SUPPORTING END THEREOF.